i.
"Did you get my letters?" Hermione asks him as they ride away from the cemetery in New York in the stretch limousine.
Tony sighs and leans back, his head resting against the leather seat. "That depends," he says. "What were your letters supposed to say?"
Hermione smiles tightly at him, her Granger persona entirely dropped thanks to the reality of their situation. Their parents are dead, no matter how absent they were. Tony is the head of the family and their futures now.
If he wanted, he could keep Hermione permanently in New York…
"That's what I assumed, after your first reply," his sister replies. "I was certain by the second one."
"It's just you and me now," he reassures her. "Tell me everything."
A single tear slips from Hermione's eyes, followed by a second and a third, and then finally she's crying freely as the truth of her first semester spills free. "I know I'm not perfect, and I don't know anyone my age who's normal, but they were all so mean at first! The boys especially, but then a troll attacked, and they came back to save me–"
"What do you mean, 'a troll attacked'?!" Tony seethes in a deadly calm voice. "This school prides itself in being where the Magical youth of the British Isles gather, and a troll got in and attacked you?"
"I'm not sure yet, but I have some ideas," his sister evades him neatly, but Tony files it away for later.
"Who saved you?" He tries this time.
"Ron Weasley," Hermione sighs tiredly, and then brightens as she continues, "and Harry Potter. He can be as sassy as you at times, but he means well under it all. He's just a little lost."
Tony nods. Of course his sister would manage to become friends with the mysterious Magical celebrity. "And the bullies? Give me their names."
Hermione's smile becomes sly.
ii.
Tony has great pleasure in stepping up to take the role of Regent Dagworth-Granger, proxy for the house's heir. He has greater pleasure seeing how Lord Malfoy's face pales when he's announced in the Wizengamot.
iii.
Hermione chooses to go back to Hogwarts and the system she's come to know, rather than start all over again and a year behind in the U.S.
Tony does not argue, not this time. They have already gone in circles over the options present, and he does not want their short time together before school restarts marred by arguments.
When he leaves her at King's Cross on January 2, 1992, Hermione hugs him tightest.
iv.
On January 3, 1992, Stark Industries notifies clients of an indefinite hiatus in their weapons manufactury department until further notice, while simultaneously announcing the start of their defense armor sector.
The owl and letter Tony receives on January 4th reminds him of why he's chosen to do such a controversial move.
The television playing news on in the background with story after story of how "this is the beginning of the end for Stark Industries" goes ignored.
v.
Hermione's letters are legible this time– at least they are to Tony. Whoever or whatever had been editing them when they were written in English has not done the same now that they are written in code.
Sometimes it pays to come from a family of war heroes.
That said, it also means he learns of the ludicrous attempts on his sister's safety as they happen. And this was supposed to be a safe school?
When Hermione writes to him about a literal baby dragon born on the school grounds, Tony does not dally in sending word to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, using the considerable weight of his proxy lordship to make sure his message is read.
His sister is only twelve. She should not be threatened by danger in what should be a guarded safe haven.
He stays up late into the night drafting the first version of his outline for changes to be made within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
vi.
Tony finds out of the chaotic events of the last week of school once Hermione has disembarked the scarlet Hogwarts Express. He's eternally grateful she made it out unscathed and he hadn't received a notice from the school that she had been injured. Still, hearing that the Philosopher's Stone of the very much alive Nicholas Flamel had been guarded by a series of challenges a group of eleven and twelve-year-olds could defeat?
If this supposed Headmaster had been on the platform to see the students home, Tony would've strangled him.
Tony sighs but still pulls Hermione into a hug. "We've got to hurry home," he murmurs into her bushy hair. "Sharon and Hope will be waiting for us."
Hermione tilts her head back to peek up at him excitedly. "Really? Why are they already here?"
He smirks at her. "I was thinking that the three of you could join me, Rhodey, and the Jarvises in the south of France for the next two weeks, but maybe I'll just leave you here instead…"
"Nope! Let's go!" Hermione dashes towards the exit, leaving Tony to lug her trunk all by himself.
Thank goodness for feather-light charms.
vii.
"I need to tell you something," Hermione says to him on the plane ride back to England, teeth nibbling on her lower lip worriedly. "About Harry and his… family." Her voice turns hard at the last word.
Tony leans over and loops his arm over her shoulders, ignoring her protesting squirms. "Tell me."
viii.
Vernon Dursley nearly faints when he sees the Stark Prodigy standing on his front step when he opens the door later that week.
Petunia Dursley does faint when the constables enter the house and find the clearly-used living space (if it can be called such) in the small closet under the stairs.
Hermione's accidental magic shatters every lightbulb on the second floor when she sees the bars on the window of Harry Potter's current bedroom.
Tony Stark simmers jointly with pride and rage as the Dursley parents are escorted out in handcuffs in front of the audience of their neighbors. He agrees to take Harry, citing the vast resources Stark Industries and the Stark family has at their disposal to take care of the orphan – far more than the public sector – and the constables leave with his cousin Dudley to await the arrival of his father's sister, who has been deemed his new guardian through next of kin.
Harry manages to hold himself together until they are behind the tinted windows of the armored Stark SUV. Hermione holds him while he cries. Edwin Jarvis glances back in the rearview mirror once, to make sure things are alright, but otherwise keeps his eyes on the road.
Tony watches the two twelve-year-olds, glad that they at least have each other.
"Perhaps official introductions should be made?" He calmly suggests once Harry's sniffles have mostly subsided. "I'm Tony Stark," he says, taking off his sunglasses in a dramatic sweep of his arm. "And the wonderful young lady seated next to you is my little sister, Hermione Stark."
Harry turns to her with wide eyes. "Hermione, what's he talking about? Your name's Granger."
Hermione gives him a sad smile. "For my protection, Harry. My father had many enemies, and our parents were murdered last winter. It's safer for me to be a Granger while I'm away from Tony."
"Your parents…?" Harry became quiet. "I'm so sorry, I had no idea–"
"It's alright," Hermione soothes him and holds his hand. "You didn't know. And I still have Tony, and the Jarvises– and you! And all of Gryffindor House."
Harry manages a small smile back at her. "It's nice to meet you too, Hermione Stark."
ix.
Tony laughs the first time Harry meets Hope and Sharon. The trio of girls that face him are likely the most intimidating of their age that Tony's ever met. It's no surprise that Harry's gaze flickers between them all like he's watching a soccer match.
"He's short… but cute," Sharon allows, smirking when Harry turns bright red.
"We'll have to work on his reaction triggers," Hope mutters, poking his cheek lightly.
"Hermione?" Harry finally cracks. "A little help?"
Tony leaves them to their fun. Harry couldn't have better instructors on how to be a media darling.
x.
Harry gives him a hug before he boards the Hogwarts Express. Tony counts it as a win.
Hermione stands beside him until the final whistle blows. "You know, Harry said once that he wished you were his brother."
Tony ruffles her hair, much to her annoyance. "Seeing as you've practically adopted him, it's only fair that I do, too."
That night, he pens two letters. When Harry's snowy owl Hedwig taps on the window to retrieve them, Tony doesn't even pretend to be surprised.
xi.
The same cannot be said for the veritable avalanche of letters he receives the morning of November 1st, 1992.
A petrified cat, like out of the stories of Medusa? "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened: enemies of the heir, beware" written in blood on the castle walls? The flooded bathrooms read as an afterthought.
When Tony doesn't read of the incident in the Daily Prophet by November 3rd, he decides to make a trip to Diagon Alley.
He's always wanted to be the majority owner of a newspaper.
xii.
Rhodey makes it down for Christmas, something Tony is eternally grateful for due to the two freaked-out kids that are back under his roof. They think he doesn't know that they both wake up in the middle of the night from night terrors, but Néni Ana is always on hand with a calming mug of warm milk and an ear to listen to their worries.
Rhodey thinks at first that the kids are pulling his leg about the petrifications that have gone on their first semester, but then he sees the haunted look in their eyes and pulls Tony aside.
"Tony," and he listens to his friend's serious tone for once without making a quip, "they've got the same look in their eyes as some of the guys do after their tours. What the hell is this school doing to protect them?"
"I don't know, but I suspect nothing," Tony grimly admits. "That fucking Headmaster of theirs keeps blocking any inquisitions at every turn, but public opinion is slowly turning on him now that the petrifications are public knowledge."
"I'm concerned about them, Tony."
"Me, too."
xiii.
Tony is in a meeting when the letter arrives, but the look on Edwin's face tells him all he needs to know before he is storming out of the offices and readying a plane to take him up to Scotland. He'd triangulated where Hogwarts was located during Hermione's first year and already snuck in to visit Hogsmeade with the medallion that worked to enter the Magical sites in the States.
Between that and Hermione's staff, he is certain he can get into Hogwarts.
He ends up being correct as well.
It turns out the situation is far worse than he feared once he arrives. Hermione lays still in the hospital wing, her frozen gaze staring at a mirror locked in her fist. A messy note is scrawled on the hallway outside, stating "her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever," and Tony is selfishly glad the message doesn't mean Hermione. At least a cure exists for her condition, despite the school refusing to buy it from foreign exporters – and despite the nurse's explanation, Tony knows that such an action has not been taken because all of those attacked so far have been "muggle-borns."
And Harry is nowhere to be found. Ron Weasley, Harry and Hermione's friend, along with his sister Ginny and their Defense teacher, are also missing.
It's the most excruciating hour of Tony's life before Harry stumbles into the hospital wing, wet and covered in grime and blood. His green eyes seem as dull as Hermione's but they briefly brighten when he sees Tony sitting next to his sister.
Harry drops the sword – and where the hell did he get a sword? – he's carrying and races into Tony's waiting embrace.
"I couldn't protect her," Harry sobs. "I'm so sorry!"
Tony hushes him and lets the twelve-year-old cry himself out before asking anything of him. "You had me worried," Tony says. "I'm glad you're alright."
"I'm not used to having people worry over me," Harry mumbles, embarrassed.
"Start getting used to it, kid," Tony snorts. "Now, tell me everything that happened before that bastard Headmaster of yours gets in here."
A/N: The timeline changes on Ginny being taken to the Chamber due to the closer friendship she has with Hermione this time. Hermione is not the same person as canon (she isn't an only child, and she's not a completely ignorant muggleborn either.) Ginny is not dead. Like in canon, Harry brought her first to McGonagall's Office and so Ginny and Ron are still reuniting with their parents. Harry went to the infirmary because of the Basilisk bite + Hermione.